Two-thirds of small businesses would vote to rejoin EU after Brexit blow: survey
A new survey by Critical Research indicates 66 per cent of UK small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) would now vote to remain in the EU, an increase from 53 per cent in 2016.
The change in sentiment among SMEs is largely due to post- Brexit regulations and increased red tape harming their profitability.
65 per cent of surveyed businesses reported that heightened demands for trade regulation compliance have significantly impacted their overall profits.
More than half (56 per cent) of SMEs believe that Brexit has directly reduced their competitiveness in the global market.
A report suggests that recent discussions between Keir Starmer and the EU aimed at reducing red tape could potentially ease administrative and cost burdens for UK businesses.
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BBC News
13 minutes ago
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New Telford micro-bakery after too much sourdough made for wife
A couple who accidentally baked more sourdough than they could eat, then reached out on social media for savoury snackers to help scoff the excess, have since set up a micro-bakery, such was the From Our Oven venture began after Mark Evans made too much bread for wife Jenna at home in months later and artisan cakes and breads are made in their kitchen for customers, with the goods handed over in pop-up locations - including a pub car one such site one weekend, they sold out of products in 22 minutes, the couple stated. Mrs Evans recalled of the project's origins: "[There was] far too much [bread] for us to eat, so we've got like a little community page in Doseley where we sort of asked everyone 'does anyone want some? We've got far too much'."As you can imagine, lots and lots of people did... Then they started saying 'do you do anything else'?"Actually we've always baked, [and] then we started getting asked for sweet stuff."Mrs Evans said they fostered alongside baking "and we're really passionate about good quality, home-cooked food [where]... you know what's in it". The goods are sold every week at either the car park of The Travellers Joy pub in Horsehay or Green Fields Farm Shop in Evans said she "just on the off chance" went up to the pub and asked "'can we use the car park?' because we don't really want people keep coming to our house".She explained: "[The pub] had some brownies and cookies off us to sell to... customers on a weekend and that's where it all started really and then a few shops got in touch... and wanted to have some brownies and cookies."She added that items on sale were not "gimmicky" or "full of lots of processed things"."It's just food you want to eat and I think that's what people want."They want food that they just... know where it's come from."Mr Evans said: "We want to have a small bakery where we know the customers and we know the people and once we sell out, we sell out. We don't want to be mass producing 100 loaves of bread a day." Follow BBC Shropshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
Telegraph
19 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Prince Andrew and the Chinese millionaire with Communist Party links
A wealthy businessman who has been pictured with Prince Andrew has links to a Chinese government department accused of being a front for spying. Chu Ting Tang, a lobbyist who runs annual Chinese New Year celebrations in Trafalgar Square, was made an OBE in 2021. He was invited to Downing Street on numerous occasions and met senior government officials and members of the royal family. It can now be revealed that he holds a senior position in an organisation run by the United Front Work Department (UFWD), a vast global Chinese foreign influence body accused of espionage. Mr Tang, 71, runs the London Chinatown Chinese Association and has used his influence to campaign for the Conservative Party in London mayoral elections, push for policy change, and promote Beijing's crackdown in Hong Kong. He met Prince Andrew, King Charles, when he was still the Prince of Wales, and Sadiq Khan. He was pictured visiting Downing Street for Chinese New Year several times between 2017 and 2020, with prime ministers Theresa May and Boris Johnson. Mr Tang was awarded an OBE for 'services to Chinese people in Chinatown, Westminster, London' four years ago. But despite his high profile, there are no public references to his ties to the Chinese Communist Party. His links to the UFWD are likely to ring alarm bells in Government and espionage circles, particularly after an alleged Chinese spy who worked with Prince Andrew was also linked to the organisation. New legislation comes into force on Tuesday to make lobbyists linked to foreign governments join a Foreign Influence Registration Scheme. Failing to register and properly disclose such activities could lead to a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a fine. Concerns about Mr Tang's links have been raised by UK-China Transparency, an investigative research group. Mr Tang is linked to a string of Chinese restaurants including in the heart of Chinatown, where the Chinese embassy holds its off-site events and meetings with UK defence officials. Senior defence sources in the UK expressed concerns one of the restaurants could be surveilled and bugged. Mr Tang is thought to have a large property investment portfolio, and UK-China Transparency estimates he is a millionaire. He has a record of lobbying Parliament, and has organised and led rallies in the UK on controversial issues. He demonstrated support of Beijing's illegal extra-territorial claims in the South China Sea, rallied against pro-democracy protests that roiled Hong Kong in 2019, promoted 'reunification' with Taiwan, potentially by force, and campaigned against home office raids on Chinatown. He also campaigned on behalf of Sean Bailey, the former Conservative candidate for London mayor. During Chinese New Year celebrations was pictured with current London mayor Sadiq Khan, as well as Prince Andrew. In 2019, Mr Tang was appointed vice-president of the Chinese Overseas Friendship Association, which falls under the control of the UFWD. He was seen shaking hands with Xi Jinping, the Chinese president, at the event. A report by Parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee said the UFWD was 'one of the most important departments of the Chinese Communist Party' in 2023. MI5 was forced to issue an infiltration alert in 2022 about a suspected Chinese spy named Christine Lee, saying she had 'knowingly engaged in political interference and activities on behalf of the UFWD of the Chinese Communist Party'. Ms Lee denies accusations of spying. The UFWD has been described by Mr Xi himself as China's 'magic weapon' it can quietly leverage, for example to shape a host nation's policies to be favourable to Beijing. Hong Kong dissidents who live in Britain, including Nathan Law, have complained that Mr Tang – often touted as a 'representative' of the British-Chinese community – does not, in fact, represent their interests. The Chinese government has sought to silence dissidents like Mr Law and other prominent pro-democracy activists. It even placed a £100,000 bounty on his head. Sir Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, has expressed interest in improving relations with Beijing – challenging China on certain issues but trying to engage in other areas, particularly trade. He has been criticised by some British politicians for not being tough enough on China. Sir Keir was the first UK prime minister to meet his counterpart, Mr Xi, in more than six years, last November at the G20 meeting in Brazil. The last such meeting was with Theresa May in 2018. Sam Dunning, the director of UK-China Transparency, said the government rules should be clearer on Chinese influence. He said: 'In well over 100 pages of government guidance for the scheme there is not one mention of China or the Chinese Communist Party. 'This is a piece of domestic legislation, but there is reason to suspect it has been influenced by diplomatic concerns.' When contacted by The Telegraph on Monday, Mr Tang refused to comment on his links with the Chinese Communist Party.
The Independent
21 minutes ago
- The Independent
I quit the BBC over Gaza – Glastonbury proves it was the right thing to do
This weekend, if you wanted to watch Kneecap's Glastonbury performance live on the West Holts stage, you wouldn't have found it on the BBC. Instead, you'd have had to find Helen Wilson's TikTok account, where she burnt her fingers holding her phone up in 30-degree heat to livestream the entire set from her spot in the festival audience, knowing that our public broadcaster had decided not to. Thousands were watching. The band was expected to be one of the festival's most anticipated acts, with organisers warning prior that there would be a large crowd for their performance. The BBC announced it wouldn't be broadcasting the set live on TV, but that edited highlights would be offered later, on iPlayer. 'Whilst the BBC doesn't ban artists', it said in a statement, 'our plans ensure that our programming meets our editorial guidelines.' This comes after band member Mo Chara was charged with a terrorist offence, for allegedly displaying a flag in support of Hezbollah at a performance in 2024 – a charge that has now been dropped, and with a court hearing scheduled for August cancelled. On the day, the BBC tried to play it safe, choosing to edit Kneecap's performance for iPlayer. Surely this would shield it? During the set, Mo Chara commented on the sheer number of Palestinian flags at the festival, and led crowds in chants of 'Free Palestine'. Another band member wore a T-shirt reading 'We are all Palestine Action ', in reference to the soon-to-be proscribed direct action group. In the end, the BBC's editorial timidity didn't save it. Instead of livestreaming Kneecap's Palestine chants, it livestreamed rap duo Bob Vylan's, whose call-and-response about the Israeli military ('Death, death to the IDF') has resulted in significant criticism – even from the prime minister – and demands that the broadcaster be defunded or prosecuted. For bad-faith critics, censorship – the most extreme editorial choice – will never be enough. Refusing to air band sets at Glastonbury, or editorially sound documentaries like Gaza: Doctors Under Fire, will never be enough. Sacrificing the BBC's dearest editorial standards and values will never be enough. Because censorship is the call of those who don't want reality to be shown – and the reality is that there's growing public support for Palestine, and growing anger at Israel's actions in Gaza. This shows itself in the folk-hero status given to artists who speak up, in the hundreds of thousands who have protested down London streets across 20 months, in the sea of Palestine flags at Glastonbury. Public anger cannot be censored away, no matter how much anyone tries. If an artist shouts 'Free, free' on a Glastonbury stage, the audience will roar 'Palestine'. Showing the reality of this public sentiment should be a priority for our public broadcaster. I want a BBC free of influence, a BBC that is editorially brave in the face of pressure. It's crucial that our public broadcaster makes its editorial decisions freely, not based on the perceived anger of bad-faith critics, but based on accuracy, evidence, human rights, and core principles that must be upheld – principles such as free speech and public service. The BBC that refused to remove a documentary series on Indian prime minister Narendra Modi's role in the 2002 Gujarat riots, despite pressure from his government, is the BBC we need. It's the BBC we deserve. Not the one where a member of the public has to burn her fingers to air what it won't.
